In general, a mobile communication system has a function part for calculating the location of a terminal in a mobile communication network to provide a location service that transfers the location of the terminal to a certain entity in a periodic manner or according to a corresponding request.
A network structure related to the location service differs depending on an internal network structure, such as a 3GPP network, a 3GPP2 network, etc. Currently, there are several methods for calculating the location of the terminal, including a cell-ID method for transferring an ID of a cell to which a mobile terminal belongs, a method for calculating the location of a terminal through triangulation by measuring time taken for radio signals to reach each base station from the terminal, and a method of using a GPS (Global Positioning System).
In order to provide the location service to a user, a large quantity (amount) of signals and location information need to be transferred between the mobile terminal and a location server.
Recently, positioning technologies standardized for providing the location service (namely, location services provided based on the location of a mobile terminal) are increasingly used.
These technologies can be provided generally through a user plane for transmitting user data and a control plane for transmitting control data, one of which is a secure user plane location (SUPL) technique that provides the location service through the user plane.
A SUPL-based network includes a SUPL agent, a SUPL location platform (SLP), a SUPL enabled terminal (SET), and the like.
The SUPL agent is a logical service access point that requests location information of a target SET from the SLP, receives measured location information of the target SET from the SLP, and uses it. The SLP is an entity that accesses network resources to obtain location information of the target SET according to a request from the SUPL agent, and performs roaming and resources management, and the like. The SET performs procedures defined at the SUPL along with the SLP through a user plane bearer.
There are two types of location services based on the SUPL: The first service refers to a periodic triggered service that provides the location of the target SET (i.e., terminal) according to a pre-set period; the second refers to an area event triggered service that provides the location of the target set (i.e., terminal) when pre-set conditions in relation to a particular area are met.
The area event triggered service will now be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3.
FIG. 1 illustrates the concept of an area event triggered service according to the related art.
As shown in FIG. 1, there are four types of area event triggered services. In FIG. 1, the points at which location measurement is made are indicated as asterisks.
As shown in FIG. 1(a), a first area event triggered service is a location service for continuously monitoring to locate the terminal 10 in a previously designated geographic area 50, which is also called an inside location service. A second area event triggered service as shown in FIG. 1(b) refers to a location service that monitors whether or not the terminal 10 enters the previously designated geographic area 50, which is also called an entering location service.
FIG. 2 illustrates implementation of the area event triggered service as shown in FIG. 1.
As shown in FIG. 2, the previously designated geographic area 50 may have a rectangular shape, a circular shape, or a polygonal shape. Thus, the geographical area should be implemented as coordinate values. However, it causes a significant amount of load to a system when the terminal 10 is monitored as to where it is.
Thus, an Area-id has been proposed to implement the location service (inside service) as to where the terminal is located within the previously designated geographic area 50 or the location server (entering service) as to whether or not the terminal 10 enters the previously designated geographic area 50.
The area-id parameter is a list of IDs of cells. In case of the inside service and the entering service as shown in FIG. 2, the Area-id parameter includes a set of IDs of cells fully included in the previously designated geographic area 50. In case of the inside service, when the area-id parameter is provided, the terminal 10 compares a cell-id of a cell in which the terminal 10 is currently located with a cell-id in the Area-id parameter, and if the both cell-ids are consistent, the terminal 10 performs precise positioning (i.e., precise location measurement) (A-GPS) to monitor where the terminal 10 is located in the previously designated geographic area 50. In case of the entering service, when the Area-id parameter is provided, the terminal 10 compares a cell-id of a cell in which the terminal 10 is currently located with a cell-id of the Area-id parameter, and if the both cell-ids are consistent, the terminal performs positioning to monitor whether the terminal 10 has entered the previously designated area 50.
The area triggered service is implemented in the related art through signal flow as shown in FIG. 3.
FIG. 3 illustrates a signal flow of an area event triggered service according to the related art.
As shown in FIG. 3, the related art area event trigger service is implemented by a SUPL-based network. The SUPL-based network includes a SUPL agent 11, a V-SLP (Visiting-SUPL Location Platform), an H-SLP (Home SUPL Location Platform), an SET (SUPL Enabled Terminal) and the like. FIG. 3 shows the case where the target SET 12 has roamed to a visiting network, and in order to perform location measurement in the visiting network, the V-SLP as well as the H-SLP is illustrated.
The signal flow illustrated in FIG. 3 shows location measurement by the V-SLP 21. The signal flow will now be described.
A) In order to request the area triggered location service to check where the target SET 12 is located in the previously designated geographic area, the SUPL agent 11 transmits a location service request message, e.g., an MLP (Mobile Location Protocol) TLRR (Triggered Location Reporting Request) message, to an H-SLP (Home-SUPL Location Platform) 22. The H-SLP 22 refers to an SLP of a home network to which the target SET 12 has registered. The location service request message includes an ms-id, a client-id, and a qop. The ms-id is an ID of the target SET 12, the client-id is an ID of the SUPL agent 11, and qop, an acronym of Quality of Position, indicates accuracy (time delay, spatial precision) in location measurement.
When the H-SLP 22 receives the location service request message, it authenticates the SUPL agent 11 and checks whether the SUPL agent 11 has an authority for the service requested by the SUPL agent 11 via the client-id in the location service request message. Also, the H-SLP 22 checks whether to apply a subscriber privacy to the SUPL agent 11 based on the ms-id in the location service request message.
B) The H-SLP 22 checks whether the target SET 12 is currently in SUPL roaming, and also checks whether the target SET 12 supports the SUPL.
C) Subsequently, in order to start the area event triggered service, the H-SLP 22 transmits a session initiation message, i.e., a SUPL INIT message, to the target SET 12. The session initiation message includes a session-id parameter, a trigger_type parameter indicating a type of a location service, a posmethod parameter indicating an intended (desired) location measurement method, an SLP mode parameter indicating a proxy/non-proxy mode. Meanwhile, if it is required to notify about the target SET 12 according to the result of checking whether to apply the privacy in step A), the H-SLP 22 may include a notification element in the session initiation message. In addition, before transmitting the session initiation message, the H-SLP 22 may calculate hash of the session initiation message to verify validity, and store the calculated hash.
D) The target SET 12 analyzes the received session initiation message, namely, the SUPL INIT message, and performs a required procedure for establishing a stable connection. In this case, if the SUPL agent 11 does not have authority, the target SET 100 may not perform any operation.
The target SET 12 checks whether the session initiation message includes a notification element. If the session initiation message includes a notification element, the target SET 12 checks a rule according to the notification element, and performs a corresponding operation. Also, the target SET 12 checks whether to use the proxy/non-proxy mode according to the SLP mode parameter included in the session initiation message. If the proxy mode is used, the target SET 12 establishes a stable connection to the H-SLP 22 by using an address of the H-SLP 22 provided from the home network.
E) In order to start the requested area event triggered service, the target SET 12 transmits a start message, e.g., a SUPL TRIGGERED START message, to the H-SLP 22. In this case, although a location measurement method designated in the posmethod parameter included in the received session initiation message, i.e., the SUPL INIT message, is not supported by the target SET 12, the target SET 12 transmits the start message. The start message includes a session-id parameter, a location ID indicating an ID of the cell in which the target SET 12 is located, and a SET capabilities parameter indicating capability information of the target SET 12. In addition, the start message includes hash of the received session initiation message. The SET capabilities parameter includes information about a supported location measurement method (e.g., SET-Assisted A-GPS or SET-Based A-GPS) and a location measurement protocol (e.g., RRLP, RRC, TIA-801) related to the supported location measurement method.
F) When the start message, i.e., the SUPL TRIGGERED START message, is received, in order to inform the V-SLP 21 that the target SET 12 is going to start SUPL location measurement, the H-SLP 22 transmits a roaming location service start message including the start message, i.e., the SUPL TRIGGERED START message, for example, an RLP SSLIR (RLP Standard SUPL Roaming Location Immediate Request) message to the V-SLP 21.
In this case, the roaming location service start message, e.g., the RLP SSLIR, includes information about a geographic area previously designated by the SUPL agent 11.
G) The V-SLP 21 determines an intended position measurement method to be used for the area event triggered session, includes a start response message, namely, a SUPL TRIGGERED RESPONSE message, in a roaming location service start response message, e.g., an RLP SSRLIA (RLP Standard SUPL Roaming Location Immediate Answer) message, and transmits the roaming location service start response message to the H-SLP 22.
In this case, the start response message includes a session-id parameter and a posmethod parameter. The start response message includes information about the geographical area previously designated by the SUPL agent 11. Also, the start response message may include an area-id, an ID of cells with respect to the previously designated geographical area.
H) The H-SLP 22 forwards the received start response message to the target SET 12.
I) Subsequently, in response to the location service request message from the SUPL agent 11, the H-SLP 22 transmits a response message, e.g., an MLP (Mobile Location Protocol) TLRA (Triggered Location Reporting Answer) message. The response message, i.e., the MLP TLRA message, includes a req-id parameter indicating a request ID.
Through such procedure, requesting of the area triggered location service with respect to the target SET 12 is performed. A follow-up location measurement procedure will now be described.
J) If the Area-ids are included in the start response message received in step H), the target SET 12 compares an area-id of the area in which the target SET 12 is currently located, and the received area-id. If it is determined that positioning should be performed according to the comparison result, the target SET 12 attempts a connection to a packet data network.
Subsequently, in order to start a session for position measurement with the V-SLP 21, the target SET 12 transmits a location session initiation message, e.g., SUPL POS INIT message, to the H-SLP 22. In this case, the location session initial message may include at least a session-id parameter, a location ID (lid) parameter indicating an ID of a cell to which the target SET 12 belongs, and a SET capabilities parameter. In this case, the target SET 12 provides its location if possible.
K) The H-SLP 22 includes the location session initiation message, e.g., the SUPL POS INIT message, in a roaming location message, e.g., an RLP SSRP (RLP Standard SUPL Roaming Position) message, and transmits the roaming location message to the V-SLP 21.
L) The target SET 12 and the V-SLP 21 exchange a plurality of positioning messages (i.e., location measurement messages) via the H-SLP 22.
M) When the positioning is completed, the V-SLP 21 includes a report message, e.g., a SUPL REPORT message, in a roaming location message, e.g., an RLP SSRP message, and transmits the roaming location message to the H-SLP 22. If the positioning has been performed by the V-SLP 21, the report message, i.e., the SUPL REPORT message, includes the measured location.
N) The H-SLP 22 forwards the received report message, i.e., the SUPL REPORT message, to the target SET 12. The target SET 12 may release the stable connection with the H-SLP 22. The report message includes the positioning value (i.e., location measurement value).
O) In order to check whether or not the area triggered condition is met, the target SET 12 compares the positioning value with the event area.
P) The target SET 12 transmits the SUPL REPORT message including the session-id and the positioning value to the H-SLP 22.
Q) The H-SLP 22 includes the positioning value in an MLP TLREP message, and transmits the same to the SUPL agent 11.
R) If the SUPL agent 11 has requested a report message several times, the target SET 12 waits until another report message is additionally received.
S) When a final report message is received, the H-SLP 22 transmits an end message, e.g., a SUPL END message, to the target SET 12 and transmits a roaming location message including the end message, e.g., an RLP SSRP message, to the V-SLP 21, in order to terminate the area event triggered session.
FIG. 4 illustrates another example of a signal flow of the area event triggered service according to the related art. FIG. 4 shows the case where the target SET 12 has roamed to the visiting network, and in order to perform location measurement in the visiting network, the V-SLP as well as the H-SLP is illustrated.
The signal flow illustrated in FIG. 4 shows location measurement by the H-SLP 22. The signal flow will now be described.
A) to I) steps are the same as those illustrated in FIG. 3, so the content of FIG. 3 will be quoted as it is.
J) If the area-id parameters are included in the start response message received in step H), the target SET 12 compares the area id of the area in which the target SET 12 is currently located, and the received area id. If it is determined that location measurement should be performed according to the comparison result but the target SET 12 has not established a data connection yet, the target SET 12 attempts a connection to the packet data network.
Subsequently, in order to start a session for location measurement with the V-SLP 21, the target SET 12 transmits a location session initiation message, e.g., SUPL POS INIT message, to the H-SLP 22. In this case, the location session initial message may include at least a session-id parameter, a location ID (lid) parameter indicating an ID of a cell to which the target SET 12 belongs, and a SET capabilities parameter. In this case, the target SET 12 provides its location if possible.
K) In order to obtain the location based on the Location ID (lid) received in step J), the H-SLP 22 transmits the RLP SRLIR message to the V-SLP 21.
L) The V-SLP 21 converts the Location ID (lid) into a location measurement value, includes the corresponding result in an RLP SRLIA messages, and transmits the RLP SRLIA message to the H-SLP 22.
M) The target SET 12 and the H-SLP 22 exchange a plurality of positioning messages,
N) When the precise positioning is completed, the H-SLP 22 transmits a report message to the target SET 12. If the precise positioning has been performed by the H-SLP 22, the report message includes the precise positioning value (i.e., precise position measurement value).
N) The H-SLP 22 forwards the received report message, i.e., the SUPL REPORT message, to the target SET 12. The target SET 12 may release the stable connection with the H-SLP 22. The report message includes the precise positioning value (i.e., precise location measurement value).
O) In order to check whether or not the area triggered condition is met, the target SET 12 compares the precise positioning value with the event area.
P) The target SET 12 transmits the SUPL REPORT message including the session-id and the precise positioning value to the H-SLP 22.
Q) The H-SLP 22 includes the precise positioning value in the MLP TLREP message, and transmits the same to the SUPL agent 11.
R) If the SUPL agent 11 has requested a report message several times, the target SET 12 waits until another report message is additionally received.
S) When a final report message is received, the H-SLP 22 transmits the end message, e.g., the SUPL END message, to the target SET 12 and transmits a roaming location message including the end message, e.g., the RLP SSRP message, to the V-SLP 21, in order to terminate the area event triggered session.
In the related art as described above, if the target SET is located in the home network without roaming, namely, in a non-roaming case, unlike the cases illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, the V-SLP 21 is not required and the H-SLP 22 generates the SUPL TRIGGERED RESPONSE message and transmits it to the target SET 12. That is, in case of the non-roaming case, unlike the cases of FIGS. 3 and 4, the H-SLP 22 can directly generate the SUPL TRIGGERED RESPONSE message. In this case, the H-SLP 22 may properly select one of a GEOGRAPHIC_AREA parameter and the Area-id parameter, namely, the ID of the cells of the previously designated geographic area, and include the same in the SUPL TRIGGERED RESPONSE message, such that an application identified by a Client-ID in the MLP TLRR message from the SUPL agent 11.
Meanwhile, if the target SET is roamed to the visiting network as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the V-SLP 21 generates the SUPL TRIGGERED RESPONSE message and the H-SLP 22 merely transfers the SUPL TRIGGERED RESPONSE message which has been generated by the V-SLP 21 to the target SET 12. Thus, the H-SLP 22 cannot select one of the GEOGRAPHIC_AREA parameter and the Area-id parameter, namely, the ID of the cells of the previously designated geographic area, and include the same in the SUPL TRIGGERED RESPONSE message, such that an application identified by a Client-ID in the MLP TLRR message from the SUPL agent 11.
Namely, the inventor of the present invention recognizes that, although the location measurement method intended by the H-SLP 22 or the location measurement method requested by the application of the SUPL agent 11 is possibly based on the geographic area or the Area-ID, the ID of the cells, the V-SLP 21 transmits both the GEOGRAPHIC_AREA parameter indicating information about the geographic area and the Area-id parameter, the ID of cells with respect to the previously designated geographic area, to the H-SLP 22, so network resources are not necessary.
For example, although a particular application identified by a Client-ID in the MLP TLRR message from the SUPL agent 11 requests the geographic area-based location measurement method and a different application requests the Area-ID-based location measurement method, because there is not procedure for the H-SLP to inform the V-SLP about the requested location measurement methods, the V-SLP have no choice but to simply include both the GEOGRAPHIC_AREA parameter and the Area-id parameter, namely, the ID of the cells of the previously designated geographic area, in the SUPL TRIGGERED RESPONSE message.
When the SUPL TRIGGER RESPONSE message includes both the GEOGRAPHIC_AREA parameter and the Area-id PARAMETER, the target SET 12 should measure the location by combining the both parameters.
Namely, the SUPL TRIGGERED RESPONSE message does not provide information about whether the target SET 12 can select one of the two parameters, so the target SET 12 measures the location by combining the both parameters.
Although the particular application identified by the Client-ID of the MLP TLRR message from the SUPL agent 11 requests an Area-id-based position measurement, because the target SET 12 receives both the Graphic Target Area and the Area Id through the TRIGGERED RESPONSE message, the target SET 11 should perform location measurement through a combining method of the Geographic Target Area and the Area Id.
However, unlike the area event triggered method combining the Geographic Target Area and the Area Id as shown in FIG. 3, in the area event triggered method using only one Area id, the location measurement may be performed based on the Area-ID without the necessity of performing precise positioning of step L as shown in FIG. 3. However, the precise positioning in step L is performed and its results are transmitted and received. That is, the unnecessary procedure is performed.
Thus, the target SET 12 unnecessarily consumes battery power for the unnecessary precise positioning.